The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-08-19
PHILOSOPHY OF SLANG.
Professor of Issfies-I.ettres Gives n Ills
tory of the Use of FIguratIvs Terms.


tory of the Use of FlRurativs Terms.
''The every day idioIns of the Ian
guage commonly called slang are moi
so worthy Of unqualified condemnation
as many prridish people suppose OBJ
served professor of belles-lettres 10 a
porter the other day.
'rhey have direct figurative signifi-
eance aud give scope to an inventive
fancy. For example, the expression
You make me tired indicates To a
shade the feeling Of lassitude inflicted
by bore. Again. the phrase What
are you giving usp' is merely figura-
tive way Of expressing increduIity
Many sanguinary conflicts have doubt
less been averted by its use. as the rug
ged. synonymous phrase, You are
lying sir. siri' has been known to give
olfense To certain eccentric persons.
Many slang phrases are the embodi-
ment OF polite spirit. When yon are
ont with the buys and exhibit In
meteof.ic flashes the slumbering hilarity
in your nature. to be told that YOU are
intoxicated strikes n sensitive chord i'm
your breast: but to be aceosted with
What an elegant load you have got
brings smile of assent and satisfaction
to your cottntenance every time. Gentle
men never acknowledge to being drunk.
1t is still or jag they have ON.
The word drunk applies only to tramps.
They are synonymous terms. Every
acute intellect will recognize this sub
tie shatle of meaning. Gentlemen of
pugilistic proclivities are very careful
IN their language. They appreciate the
modifying effects of slang idioms and
are particular to employ them in speak
ing of their encounters. Who ever
heard champion Of the ring say that
he gave his antagonist black eve or
bloody nose? III prcfers. in spirit Of
chivalry. more elegant terms. aud viii
say that he closed "A pepper or tapped
the cIaret.' IL he knocks his opponent
down he will say CONSIDERABLY that he
sent him TO grass. II he gains victory
he viii not injure the feelings of the
vanquished party by boasting that he
thrashed him, but will pour balm upon
his wounds by stating politely that he
done him up
THE parallel between slang phrases
and rugged English" continued the
professor. "may be drawn still farther.
No man Is 50 devoid of fine feeling as ~
acknowledge that he has pawned an
article. II is less shocking to hint with
n wink that his uncle has IL, or that il
is in .hock.' or even that he has 'hung
| 1t up The expressions exhibit the
deed from a humorous point of view.
| In all walks of life we find this same
endeavor ut politeness. A thief is called
fly man or crook. bribe-taker
| is called .boodler,' and swindlers are
called 'buneo steerers' and saw dust
| men, This Is as it should be. The
English language. devoid of its fgura-
tive iiioms. is simply brutal. This ac-
/ counts for the birth OF the word dude
Itis farmor elegant than its synonym.
fool The ruthless small boy might
hesitate at the latter. but the former he
can shout out at the top of his lungs
| whenever some trife of humanity may
be blown across his path. A slang
term that has peculiar significance is
n chippy chaser This is applied to
the prosecutors of honorable working
| girls. They stand upon the street cor
ners until some pretty girls pass by.
and then follow them block after block
talking in loud voice and otherwise
annoying them. 1t is gratifying to
know that they are generally left. ;
This last expression is applicable to
those who fail to attain the objects of
their desires. The 'chippy chaser If
successful in making the clandestine
acquaintance he seeks. and in making
an appointment for some future even
| ing, is. as rule. stood up This
means. in unvarnished English. that he
stands for hour after hour at the APP
pointed place awaiting the arrival of
the expected female. probably in a vio-
lent rain or snow-storm. for a 'chippy
chaser never gives up hope. while the
honest girl is possibly sleeping in her
bed.
Here again the politeness of slang
idioms is demonstrated The synonym
of .chippy chaser is the pitiable word
idiot, which is rather an unpleasant
sounding term to be applied to a young
man. The inventor of this idiom merits
the hearty thanks of the brotherhood.
lit is obvious" remarked the pro-
fessor in conclusion, ..from the fore
going exposition that our slang origi-
mates from the innate delicacy of feel
ing, which is characteristic of Ameri-
cans from the small boy up. The
English language, when plainly spoken.
is harsh and jarring and contains many
unpleasant words. Men of fine feeling
naturally express themselves in a
fgul alive or, to be less scholarly, a
Pickwickian sense. ~ T. Mail and
Express.